Published 5:30 am, Thursday, March 31, 2005

Now, 28 years later, she is still giving a large amount of time to help make the fair a success and is a Lifetime Vice President. The Lifetime designation comes after a volunteer has served as vice president for three years.

"The scope of the junior non-livestock exhibit and sale has grown over the years. In 1976 there were 5,000 entries. In 2004 there were 121,000," Dyer said.

Variety of roles

Dyer, who lives in Conroe, knows all the tasks involved in making her part of the fair a success because she has done so many of the jobs. From 1978-80 she was assistant handcraft chairman. In 1981-84 she served as adult handcraft chairman, then moved up to adult show coordinator from 1985-92.

She was elected to the board of directors in 1993 and moved up to the executive board in 1994. She served as a vice president in 1995, 1996 and 1997 and served as secretary of the executive board for 2000-2003.

Related Stories

Back to work

Check in for the junior non-livestock items begins 8-10 a.m. on Saturday, and then the work begins for Dyer and her committees. Preliminary judging is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and the top 20 are chosen. Final judging is 4-7 p.m. and the auction will be held 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Exhibitors placing grand, reserve and third place will have their items displayed in cases for the duration of the fair. Dyer and the large group of volunteers working will be judging entries in the junior homemaking show, handcraft show, needlecraft, fine arts, photography and horticulture. Two hundred judges are involved in her division.

Special-education students are honored guests at the county fair on Friday, and they will exhibit their work in categories for baked goods, arts, handcrafts, woodcrafts, needlework and horticulture.

"We are proud that pledges have been made in advance to buy the winners in each of the categories," Dyer said.

Country flavor

The former school teacher now in office administration was responsible for introducing the Country Store, which is one of the attractions at the fair.

"This is the fifth year and it is now located in the building that originally held the office. Anyone who has an entry in the adult homemaking competition may sell items through the store. It is very popular with fair visitors taking home jellies, canned goods and breads from the store. There are also a lot of handcraft items for sale," she said.

The Country Store also sells fair merchandise with pins, hats, T-shirts and other souvenirs available. The other part of the frame building contains a museum display reflecting the history of the fair.

"This is our fourth year for this display. We will be able to leave it up and add to it each year." Dyer said. The museum is one of her responsibilities.

Giving to others

Some of Dyer's enthusiasm for the fair must have influenced her children. Her son Jack showed steers and pigs in 1981. Son Brian showed lambs, steers, pigs and handcrafts. In 1984, one of his stained glass creations won Grand Champion and sold for $2,350, the highest price ever paid for a non-livestock item.

"Nina works extremely hard every year," said Beth Traylor, fair secretary. "Not only does she work on her part of the fair, she will come in on Saturday and help us organize supplies for other parts of the fair and do whatever is needed. Sometimes she just calls and says 'I will be by to help.' "